Gavin Carey showing his kite flying skills on the beach in Kitty Hawk.Near Perfect Conditions for Kite Flying
It was a great day to fly a kite on an Outer Banks beach. The wind was from the northeast at a steady 15mph, which is the perfect direction for a great time in a beautiful setting.
Someone had a small dragon kite in the sky, it's red tail trailing the head as it danced in the wind.
But the fascinating story was the stunt kite dancing across the sky. There is something magical about watching a father and son fly a kite. The father, Craig Carey, was good, but kudos go to Gavin, his son.
The force of a 15mph wind on a 72" kite is amazing. And yes, Gavin—who is 11—did get dragged around a bit, but he had the kite under control the whole time.
A Cool, Windy Day
The sun was out, with a few clouds here and there, but the daytime temperatures remained cool, at least cool for early September. The wind and those cooler temperatures are part of the system that is steering Hurricane Irma and keeping the storm well to the south and west of the Outer Banks.
The red flags were flying and no sane person was going to go in the water today. Courtesy of Hurricane Irma, the surf was a churning mess with seas running 5-6'.
Although the hurricane is tracking up the west side of the Florida Peninsula, it is so large that it's sending waves far to the north. Frequently those hurricane generated waves are a surfer's delight but with the wind from the northeast instead of offshore, the break never had a chance to form.
Things should calm down later in the week—just in time for the ESAs, the Eastern Surf Association Championship at Jennette's Pier September 17-23.
The ESA one of the largest amateur surfing organizations in the world, and the championship tournament bring out some outstanding surfers. Don't let that "amateur" label mislead. A number of the older surfers are former pros and the better younger surfers use the ESAs as a training ground for professional competition.
